Back to School: Home-packed lunches

Ideas and alternatives

By Nina Barone

We know it’s a commitment to pack healthy and fun school lunches, but aren’t the kids worth it? It may be easier than you think to feed them the same fresh and nutritious foods they like to eat at home. One key lies in the box itself. As important as the contents, it provides a basis for what food you can send your child to school with. Opt for a model that keeps food separate and cold, and select one that’s washable (many are dishwasher safe, too) so you need not rely on prepackaged foods or purchasing sandwich bags. Many lunchboxes offer hip options to keep fresh food crisp, cold, and safe.

The next step is to provide tasty and nourishing contents that are just as attractive as the lunchboxes. A poor lunch can cause a child to have trouble paying attention in school or come home cranky or lethargic. Although it takes valuable time to prepare packed lunches, there are some ways to ease the time commitment and stay organized, such as keeping a designated spot on your refrigerator shelf for lunch necessities, getting a head start on Sundays, and packing lunches for two days at a time. Lastly, get your kids involved—they are more likely to eat it if they help pack it.